Prague hosts first major athletics meeting since 2009

Double world indoor and outdoor champion, Croatia's Blanka Vlasic will compete in the European Athletics Indoor Permit Meeting in Prague on 25 February. The meeting will serve as a test event ahead of the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Prague.

Preparations are in full swing at the O2 Arena in Prague ahead of the 2014 Prague Indoor Permit Meeting which takes place on 25 February. It will serve as a test meeting ahead of the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships.

Spectators will enjoy watching Blanka Vlasic who is expected to compete in the high jump after an absence from the sport due to injury.

The double world indoor and outdoor champion will make a most anticipated return to competition on 15February in Gothenburg and her second stop will be Prague, as she prepares for the World Indoor Championships in Sopot in March.

Fans can also follow home favourite Pavel Maslak, the newly named ambassador for the European Athletics Indoor Championships next year, who will be competing in the 300m.

The track in Prague is reputed for being quick, and the 2012 European Athletics Rising Star could use this opportunity to break Leslie Djohne’s European record of 32.47.

Czech teammate Denisa Rosolová has also chosen to run 300m to test her speed ahead of the World Indoor Championships where she is the reigning champion in the 400m.

In the shot put, Ladislav Prasil, the first named ambassador for next year’s championships, will certainly be aiming for a strong showing.

He took bronze at the European Athletics Indoor Championships last year in Gothenburg, and has made gold his objective next year in Prague.

Ticket sales are available from 15 February for the 2014 meet, and can be found here: www.sazkaticket.cz.

“We invite spectators to enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of a prestigious athletics meeting at the O2 Arena, one year before the event of the year with the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships,” said Libor Varhanik, president of the Prague 2015 local organising committee.

“This is the first chance to witness such an important athletics indoor event in Prague since the meeting of world record holders in 2009,” he continued.

More information about the 2014 test meeting in Prague and the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships can be found at www.praha2015.org.